Decking structure



DECKING S TRUCTURE Filed Sept 26,. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnwntoc Aug. 26, 1930. c, L SNYDERv 1,774,297

DECK'ING STRUCTURE 7 Filed Sept. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Zr/am; df d'en Patented Aug. 26, 19 30 UNITED STA CLIFFORD L. SNYDER,

vDIEGKING STRUCTURE ,Applicationfiled September 26, 1929.;- Serial No. 395,810.

This invention has relation to decking structures forv supporting automobiles in freight cars and has for its object the provision of novel means for securing an auto- 5 mobile in position in a freight car,,whereby the construction of the it will be more rigidly'held in position and secured against accidental displacement, or

injurious contact with other'vehicles. The

the novel construction invention consists in and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, constituting a decking device in which the vehicle is stood 1n a with its wheel hubs at its tilted position,- elevated ends supported upon inclined braces, which are firmly secured to the car, head block with which the braces are provided being such that the hubs will beheld firmly in place withoutthe use of straps, cleats or other appliances to hold them in secure immov-- able position; I

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fi re 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the body of a freight car, with an automobile decked therein by means of my invention; 7

Figure 2 is a sideelevation ofone of the decking braces;

Figure 3 is an inner same; and

Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 face view of the are detail views hereinafter more particularly identified.

In the drawings, a pair of supporting members are shown, pair of uprights or legs, 2, 2 arranged in A-shaped relation, andconnected together at the top by means ofthe transverse head block 3 which is beveled "on its upper half on one face as indicated at 4. v

Through the center of this beveled portion, a hole 5 is cut,.at an oblique angle as illustrated and this hole registers with mating semi-circular recesses 2 formed inthe adjacent sides of the legs 2, the bottom wall 2 of the recess 2 beingjin a plane parallel with the oblique face of the block, and at right angles to the axis of the hole in the head block.

'tional cross... braces, 10,

each consisting of .a

or decking an automobile, the

ornamental caps are removed from'the hubs of the wheels, front or back, and shipping hub caps made. of steelftubingare sub-r stitute'd. I v c c j The decking structure is then applied, so as tolreceive the capped hubs inthe holes; 5, and the 'braces are'then'securely braced against the sidewalls of the car, and fast ened by the cleats8-to the. car floor. I

A special advantage of the decking struci ture, as described, is that by making the shippingfcap's tov the hubs. of sufficient length, the outer ends of the capswill bear against the countersunk recesses in upper 1'.

parts of the legs of the standards or sup ports and will prevent the decking structure 7 from bearing inwardly against the wheels of i the vehicle. i Q i wear in the countersunklhole be pre-' 7 H v of metalfi in the i circular recess Q beforeinsertin'g the shi vented by. inserting a disc ping" hub 'ca" k It. will beno'ted. that. the oblique angle on which the circular holes are cut is such that when the. legs are spreadapart. at'the bottom and braced. against the side of the canthe axes of, the holes will ,be parallel with the axes ofithe wheel hubs, and: willliei horizontally and without undue strain or La pressure on the hubs. v

In addition "to the head block having holes to receive thecaps of the-hubs, addi tothe legs of the decking structure."

When-th'e-decking structure is arrangedin position, will braces" 11' may be employed to secure greater rigidity- As will be seen the hub caps and hubs are prevented from jumping out of their sockets by the upper, walls of the holes in 10 may. be secured V thehead block, and that it is unnecessary to close the sockets by means of cleats or 7 other means. I

By cutting the holes entirely through the head block, a larger vided which effectively prevents the hubs and caps from being displaced by any vertical or horizontal shock.

While the invention bearing surfaces prohas been described r as a semi-decking structure, it is to be understood that the apparatus may be of the full deck type with the entire vehicle elevated from the car floor and supported at each end by decking apparatus.

1. A decking structure for securing automobiles in freight cars comprising brace members, each forming a support for the vehicle, and consisting of a pair of obliquely inclined legs; a head block with a beveled face secured to the inner face of the brace member at its upper end and having cut therethrough a hole for the reception of a hub cap, and the brace member being formed with a counter-sunk recess in alignment with said hole.

2. A decking structure for securing automobiles in freight cars comprising supporting members, each having attached to its upper end and inner surface a head block having a beveled inner face, and having cut therethrough a circular hole forming a socket for the reception of a hub cap, with its axis at right angles to the beveled surface of the head block.

'3. A decking structure for securing automobiles in freight cars comprising supporting members, each including a pair of upwardly converging legs, a head block secured to the upper ends of the legs and having an opening extending completely therethrough, and the upper ends of the legs having a depression therein alined with the opening in the head block.

4. A decking structure for securing automobiles in freight cars comprising supporting members, each including a pair of upwardly converging legs, a head block secured to the upper ends of the legs and having an opening extending completely therethrough, and the upper ends of the legs having a depression therein alined with the opening in the head block, the face portion of the head block having the opening therethrough inclined and the bottom wall of the recess parallel with the inclined face of the block. i

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLIFFORD L. SNYDER. 

